Meet The Team

Chris is the founder and all-round football nut behind Football Finery. A lifelong Spurs fan, former paramedic, and devoted collector of classic kits, Chris turned his hobby into a fully-fledged vintage football shirt business, supported every step of the way by his brilliant family. Whether he’s sourcing rare gems, chatting with fellow shirt fans, or figuring out how to grow the business, Chris brings enthusiasm and energy to everything he does. Above all, he just loves talking football — and Football Finery is the perfect place for him to do exactly that!

Taylor has been with us since 2024 and is behind our email and social media marketing. He’s a life-long Chelsea fan and his favourite era of shirts is the early 2000s and all the nostalgia that goes with it, although he also has a bit of a thing for those 90s European classics! His first shirt was the 2006/07 Chelsea goalkeeper shirt, which he fondly remembers diving around the garden in at the age of five years old. Taylor’s prize possession? His signed and framed Eden Hazard shirt from the Belgian’s final season at the bridge.

Matt is a product lister at Football Finery and has been with us since 2025. He manages stock drops, which consists of choosing and listing the shirts that we load onto the website. He is a massive Tottenham fan and therefore, his first ever shirt was the Tottenham 2008/09 home kit. His favourite type of shirts are J League, South American, 90s Kappa and of course Tottenham shirts. Matt’s favourite shirts of all time? 1995/97 Barcelona away, Fluminense 1997 home and the Cerezo Osaka 1999/00 home. Being a Tottenham fan, his favourite memory is being at the Europa League Final in 2025 to watch his beloved Spurs lift their first major trophy in 17 years! Despite his Tottenham obsession, he has also travelled across Europe, Brazil and the USA to watch games. Matt just generally loves obsessing over football and the kit culture that surrounds it!

Darren has been with Football Finery since 2023, listing shirts on the website, attending fairs, and working in our Cambridge shop. A lifelong Southampton fan, he has loved football since an early age, a trait which his three Saints-mad children all share. He has a large personal collection of over 200 shirts, around 70 of which are Southampton. He’s also a keen Northern Ireland collector! Darren loves an Adidas shirt, although 90s Pony come a close second. His favourite shirt has to be the classic 1993–94 Southampton home kit, as worn by Le Tissier in the game against Newcastle, where he scored those two legendary goals. Darren was lucky enough to be standing behind the goal, and ten years later, he lent his shirt to Le Tissier to wear in the “Phoenix from the flames” slot on Baddiel & Skinner’s “Fantasy Football” TV show, as they could not find one large enough for him to wear! It is now proudly signed and framed in Darren’s house.

Tate joined the Football Finery team at the start of 2026 and has quickly become a key part of the operation, helping us get more and more shirts loaded onto the website each week. While you’ll occasionally spot him in our Cambridge shop, most of his time is spent surrounded by piles of football shirts in the office - exactly where he likes to be. A lifelong Tottenham Hotspur supporter, his obsession with football shirts began with the iconic 2005 Kappa Spurs home shirt, complete with Ledley King on the back. Since then, his collection has grown with a particular focus on 90s Kappa designs, the legendary 2004 Nike Total 90 range, and classic Tottenham kits. Some of his all-time favourites include the 1996/97 Barcelona away shirt, Portugal’s 2004 home shirt, and the Republic of Ireland 2001 home shirt. His greatest football memory was travelling to the Estadio San Mamés to watch Spurs lift the Europa League trophy in 2025 - something he’ll probably remind everyone about for the next 30 years. Beyond Tottenham, Tate’s passion for football has taken him across Europe and Asia, exploring matches, stadiums, and football culture wherever he can. It’s great to have him as part of the team.

Will is a massive Cambridge United supporter and has been for as long as he can remember. He’s currently studying Theatre and Film at the University of Bristol. The first shirt he owned was the 2013–14 Cambridge United away shirt with Greg Taylor’s number 3 on the back, and it’s still one of his favourites! His favourite era of football shirts are the 1994 World Cup kits, a collection he’s built up over the years and still considers some of the most beautiful shirts ever made. If you catch him working, you’ll spot his face in our Cambridge shop, and he’ll be more than happy to chat and talk football during your visit.

Jack has been with the team since 2025 and has been helping man our Cambridge shop. He is a diehard Cambridge United fan and has followed his team home and away ever since owning his season ticket at the age of six weeks old. He has amassed over 50 Cambridge United shirts in his collection, and also collects shirts from places that he has travelled to around the world. Jack’s favourite football memory? THAT Ryan Donaldson freekick at Wembley to send his beloved United back to the Football League.

Jess is part of our retail team and also works in our office, helping customers and preparing shirts for drops. She is also a massive Southampton fan, and goes to every game she can, especially now she is at University in Southampton. Her love of shirts began with her very first shirt - the 2008/09 Southampton away shirt. Her collection has now grown to almost 50, with additions of Southampton shirts and international shirts, both national and domestic. Her favourite football memory is Southampton’s 23/24 Playoff final win at Wembley that she shared with her family.

Alex works in our Cambridge shop, whilst studying Photography at University in Cambridge. He is a massive Aston Villa fan, although is obsessed with shirts from many different teams. Alex has only been collecting shirts since he was 16, but has already amassed a huge collection of fabulous football shirts. His first shirt was the 2014/15 Netherlands away shirt, with Arjen Robben’s number 11 on the back. Alex’s favourite football moment? Ollie Watkins’ last minute winning goal against the Netherlands in the Semi-final of the 2024 Euros. You’ll find Alex in-store and he is always up for a chat when you visit!

Where would we be without Jon and Sally? A truly essential part of the Football Finery operation, they form the backbone of our stock preparation team. Sally works her magic handling all of the washing, sewing, hemming repairs, stitching, stain removal and steaming, making sure every shirt looks its absolute best before reaching our listing team or taking pride of place on the Cambridge shop rails. Jon picks up shirts that need cleaning or repair before returning them to the Football Finery office ready for the next stage of the process. They also happen to be Chris’s mum and dad — and, unsurprisingly, both lifelong Spurs fans. Always interested in the progress of the business as a whole, Jon and Sally offer ongoing encouragement and support, playing a huge role in shaping the quality and standards that Football Finery is known for.

Our Meet the Team page would not be complete without a shout-out to Olivia and Stanley. Chris’s wife and son have been there from the very beginning, supporting Football Finery through every stage of its journey. From the early days when Football Finery was just a hobby, right through to where the business is today, Olivia and Stanley have offered endless encouragement and support. Olivia has been an incredibly patient sounding board behind the scenes, providing calm, thoughtful advice and reassurance at every step. Stanley, meanwhile, has grown up alongside the business, fuelling Chris’s passion and sharing his love for Tottenham Hotspur. Many of you will recognise them both from various retro football fairs, pop-ups, and their regular visits to the Cambridge shop — and we’re incredibly lucky to have them as part of the team.

And how could we forget Boulder? Boulder is the company cocker spaniel and loves nothing more than making himself at home on a pile of fabulous football shirts. He’s loved by the Football Finery team and hated by the postman! Definitely top dog around here.